Stable aroma, flavor and aroma and flavor products from aroma- and flavor-bearing substrates

Abstract

Aroma- and flavor-bearing substrates are separated into an aroma concentrate and a flavor concentrate by pulsing or applying in a continuous fashion wet steam to a zone containing the substrate. The substrate-containing zone is held under vacuum pressure and the flavor concentrate is collected in a first trap, while an aroma concentrate is collected in a second trap. In one preferred embodiment, the most volatile flavor and aroma bodies are collected and subsequently dissolved in a solution of solids (e.g., those obtained from further extraction of the substrate) and the solution is then frozen and freeze-dried to yield a highly stable dry aroma and flavor bearing product. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate comprises either coffee or tea.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for separating an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction from an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate, said process comprising: pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20° to -200° C. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein subsequent to the emergence of said liquid flavor concentrate from said zone, said liquid flavor concentrate is collected by condensing at a temperature of from about -20° C to -80° C. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 2 wherein the substrate-containing zone is subjected to an inert gas sparge. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 2 wherein pulsing of said wet stream continues until the flavor concentrate coming from said substrate-containing zone is substantially free of color-bearing bodies. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 wherein said steam is pulsed in downward fashion through the substrate-containing zone. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 5 wherein said substrate-containing zone is held at temperatures of from 0° to 60° C. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 5 wherein the absolute pressure is from 0.1 mm to 30 mm of mercury. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 5 wherein the substrate is roast and ground coffee. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 5 wherein the substrate is tea. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 5 wherein the substrate is a fruit. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 2 wherein the substrate is a vegetable. 
     
     
       12. A process for producing a stable concentrated flavorful aromatic dry product from a flavor- and aroma-bearing substrate comprising: pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20° C to -200° C; combining said aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction with a solution of solids selected from the group consisting of proteins and carbohydrates; freezing the resulting mixture; and freeze drying. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 12 wherein the weight of solids added is about equal to the weight of the aromatic and flavorful frost fraction. 
     
     
       14. The product of the process of claim 12. 
     
     
       15. The process of claim 12 wherein the solids added to the aromatic and flavorful portion of the extract are from a substrate of the same type as the substrate. 
     
     
       16. The process of claim 15 wherein the substrate is coffee. 
     
     
       17. The product of the process of claim 16. 
     
     
       18. The process of claim 16 wherein the solids are decaffeinated coffee. 
     
     
       19. The process of claim 16 wherein said solids are extracted from the same substrate which yielded the aromatic and flavorful frost fraction 
     
     
       20. The process of claim 19 wherein the substrate comprises Robusta coffee. 
     
     
       21. The process of claim 19 wherein said substrate is decaffeinated coffee. 
     
     
       22. A process for separating an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction from an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate, said process comprising: slowly and continuously passing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20° to -200° C. 
     
     
       23. The process of claim 22 wherein said slow continuous steam introduction occurs in a downward manner. 
     
     
       24. A process for producing a stable concentrated flavorful aromatic dry product from a flavor- and aroma-bearing substrate comprising: slowly and continuously passing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20° to -200° C; combining said aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction with a solution of solids selected from the group consisting of proteins and carbohydrates; freezing the resulting mixture; and freeze drying.